The channels will be among the HD channels the satellite service plans to have when it throws the switch on its HD ramp-up starting in September and continuing "through the rest of the year," the company said.

The satellite TV company will continue to add channels in 2008 for a total of 150 national cable channels, up to 1,500 local HD channels and new advanced programming services, following the launch of the DirecTV 11.

DirecTV currently carries each of the HBO channels slated for HD in standard definition.